The Big Climate Connection

LOBBY OF READING EAST MP ROB WILSON ON 5 NOVEMBER 2010

In the Reading East Constituency five people, including two from Reading’s Christian Ecology Link, lobbied Rob Wilson MP on 5 November as part of the Big Climate Connection Stop Climate Chaos Lobby. We were cordially received and given over half an hour of his time. We reminded him that in the hustings prior to the General Election the first two questions were concerned with climate change and environmental matters and that the lobbyists represented the tip of an iceberg of concern among his constituents.

We brought four local initiatives to his attention asking for his support where needed.

1. The initiative of Reading Energy Pioneers to promote renewable energy installations to home owners and support them to bulk buy as a group. An idea spawned from an event organised by the Greater Reading Environmental Network (GREN).
2. A new initiative suggested by GREN’s board member on the Reading Climate Change Partnership (RCCP), a sub group of the Local Strategic Partnership, proposes a new public/private/voluntary company to undertake a major local initiative on energy efficiency/renewables installations in homes across Reading, particularly in the lower income/private rented homes.
3. Neighbourhood groups are forming across Reading as part of the Transition Town movement. Also GREN is working on a vision for a truly sustainable Reading. These have obvious links with the Big Society agenda.
4. Action is being taken by the Faith Communities; in particular Park United Reformed Church plans to install photovoltaic panels on its roof and a wood pellet boiler for its heating system.

We drew to the attention of the MP policy demands on home energy efficiency, an emissions performance standard for fossil fuel power stations and international finance.

Nationally we asked for the following to be included in the Energy Security and Green Economy Bill:

• A strong Green Deal to ensure that by 2020 7 million homes in the UK have had an energy efficiency makeover, reducing their emissions by at least 60 per cent.
• Minimum energy efficiency standards for the private rented sector so that by 2016 the most unhealthy homes (below Band F and G) cannot be let.
• Enabling legislation so that a strong Emissions Performance Standard (EPS) for fossil fuel power stations can be set to enable delivery of a decarbonised electricity supply by 2030.

Internationally we asked that at the Cancun International Climate talks in December the UK must:

• Support the establishment of one common climate fund to help developing countries adapt to climate change, develop in a low carbon way and protect their forests.
• Support and champion new and innovative sources of public climate finance, including revenue from measures to tackle aviation and shipping emissions, and a levy on financial transactions.
• Guarantee that UK money for adaptation in developing countries will be provided as grants rather than loans, and push other donors to do likewise.

In particular we asked Rob Wilson to write to the Prime Minister and Secretary of State at DECC expressing support for these policies; we also asked him to work with us over the next year to ensure progress on this agenda and indicated that we wished to have further meetings to enquire about progress.

Rob Wilson spoke with confidence about the commitment of Mr Huhne, the DECC Secretary, enthused about the Green Deal and expressed his views on nuclear power which differed from those of most of the lobbyists. The MP did not know at what level the UK participation at Cancun would be.

Those present at the lobby were Paul Harper (GREN), Katherine Watts (WWF), Chris Burden (Friends of the Earth) and Rita Belletty and Owen Jewiss (Christian Ecology Link), each contributing to the exchanges.

Owen Jewiss

11 November 2010.